Biography : Ellen Hanak

Ellen Hanak is an economist with background in agriculture and natural resource management. Before joining the Public Policy Institute of California as a research fellow in September 2001, she held several international research positions, in France, Washington DC and East Africa. During this time she wrote several books and numerous articles on agricultural competitiveness issues and advised governments on agricultural policy. In the late 1980s, she spent a year at the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, working on U.S. trade policy. At the Public Policy Institute of California she has been developing a research program on the state’s water policy, and recently completed a study on California’s water market and third party issues, to be published this June.

Education:

Ph.D. Economics 1992 University of Maryland
M.A. Economics 1981 University of Dar es Salaam
B.A. History 1979 Swarthmore College (Pennsylvania)

Positions held:

• Research Fellow, Economics, Public Policy Institute of California (since Sept. 2001).
• Economist and Team Leader, Center for Cooperation in International Research for Agricultural Development (CIRAD), France (1992–2001).
• Dissertation Fellow, Brookings Institution (1989–1990).
• Staff Economist, Council of Economic Advisers (1988–1989).
• Consultant, World Bank (1982–1988).
• Researcher, University of Dar es Salaam (1980–1982).